Bloomfield Quiet Before The Storm

[Updated 8:45 p.m. Saturday] Eight hours after Bloomfield was placed under a state of emergency because of Hurricane Irene, township officials are saying the township is quiet while waiting for main thrust of the storm to arrive.

Township Director of Emergency Management Fred Menzel said from the township emergency operations center there have been no emergency calls as of 8:15 p.m. Saturday. The center, staffed by department heads and township personnel, opened Saturday at 4 p.m. to aid residents with non-emergency issues such as downed trees, flooding and other storm-related issues.

Mayor Raymond McCarthy signed the decree after consultations with Menzel and township officials. According to Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management Tom Pelaia, the decree allows the township to enforce regulations like closing streets and prohibiting parking on certain streets.

Menzel said the only calls the operations center has received were inquiries about how to turn off a furnace in case of flooding and questions about water in the basement.

The township has also opened an emergency shelter at the civic center for residents who need it.

“Flooding is going to happen,” Menzel said, but the township is doing the best we can to make sure we’re there to help.

Menzel said the rains are starting to increase and the winds are starting to pick up.

He said the township has extra police, fire and EMS crews on duty and department of public works crews will begin work after midnight to accommodate any problems in the township. In fact, DPW crews had already arrived four hours before their shifts were to begin so they were assured of getting in before effects of the storm affected their trips.

Menzel again cautioned residents to “stay inside, be safe and if you have an (non-medical) emergency, call the township.”

“People are our best eyes and ears,” Menzel said, “if a tree is down, call us and we’ll take care of it.”

The emergency operations center may be reached at (973) 680-4177 for any storm-related issues and leave the 9-1-1 calls for emergencies only.

The operations center will be staffed by representatives from every township department for a majority of the day. In the event of an off-hours storm-related issue, Pelaia said calls to the operations center will go to the police department. Police will then dispatch the issue to representatives to the proper department.

Pelaia said the township is urging residents to keep informed by checking online sites like Patch, as well as watching Comcast Channel 35 and Verizon FiOS Channel 30. 

Patch will update this story.